Her knees were shaking as she sat. She was terrified of what this meeting would result in, but not for a moment was she frightened that Jonas would allow anyone to take her baby.
Rachel clenched her hands in her lap as Edgewood and Cassie spent a moment talking in low tones before Cassie took her seat with a murmured assent.
"Director Wyatt." The attorney nodded to Jonas once again before turning to her. "Ms. Broen. Ms. Sinclair. As we informed your guard, we have papers here signed by Judge Joseph Markham. You're ordered to turn over the minor child Amber Diana Broen immediately to Child Protective Services until custody can be decided and the complaint brought against Ms. Broen in the neglect and deliberate endangerment of the child can be decided."
The attorney handed Cassie the papers before laying out a copy for both Rachel and Jonas.
Rachel couldn't bear to read them. She glared at Devon instead.
"The grounds this is based upon?" Cassie asked coolly. "There has been no neglect or endangerment of the child. As you know, according to Breed Law, no child can be demanded or removed from Sanctuary or Haven without irrefutable proof of any charges."
Edgewood's gaze was sympathetic as he glanced at Rachel before turning back to Cassie. "I'm sorry, Ms. Sinclair, that law applies only to Breed children."
Devon's smile was a slow curl of triumph. The arrogance and superiority he showed now was something she hadn't seen in Switzerland. Or had she not wanted to see it?
God, how had she so lost her mind to have actually slept with this man, let alone believe she loved him at one time? But she couldn't make herself regret it. Without Devon, she wouldn't have had Amber, and her child was more than worth every moment of hell he had put her through.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Edgewood, but that's not precisely true." Cassie's voice was soft, cool, assured.
Edgewood frowned. "I checked this law just to be certain, Ms. Sinclair."
Cassie shuffled through her papers, pulled a file free, then handed it to the attorney.
"As you'll see, Breed Law in many areas has stipulations that must be addressed in each situation." She handed out copies of the particular law.
Edgewood read, frowned, then stared back at Cassie. "This isn't entirely legal," he stated. "This law is not in an accessible area . . ."
"Had you done as you were advised when you checked the statutes and laws that apply to the Breed society, you would have read the clause on addendums and notations attached to it. Many of our laws have such addendums, Mr. Edgewood. Our country, those elected to protect and preserve all human life, were involved in our creation, our imprisonment and the torturous deaths of our children before they had a chance to consider escape. Because of that, any question in regard to child welfare or extraction of a child from Sanctuary can and will be known and understood before any such action is taken. The Bureau of Breed Affairs was not notified of this complaint, nor of any accusation of neglect or endangerment. Added to that, Mr. Marshal relinquished all rights to Ms. Broen's child at the child's birth." She flashed him a sunny smile. "You do remember me, don't you, Mr. Marshal?"
His jaw set as fury shimmered in his blue eyes.
"What is she talking about, Devon?" Edgewood questioned him.
"Here's what she's talking about." Cassie laid out another paper. "Signed, notarized and filed with the Bureau of Breed Affairs. Mr. Marshal signed away all parental rights, as represented by his legal counsel at the time, one Mr. Claude Desmond of Nevada."
Edgewood's look was one of ice as he stared at Devon.
"That's not legal," Devon stated. "I didn't fully understand what she intended to do with Amber. And that's besides the fact. Child Protective Services is to have the baby until the charges have been decided anyway."
"It doesn't work that way, Mr. Marshal," Cassie said sweetly. "Child Protective Services has no jurisdiction here."
"Amber is not a f**king Breed brat," Devon snarled, his tone nasty, his expression filled with disgust. "That f**king law doesn't apply to her."
"A f**king Breed brat. What an interesting choice of words," Cassie stated succinctly. "As though our children have no worth. Is that how you see it?"
"Shut up, Devon," Edgewood warned him.
"Don't tell me to shut up," Devon snapped. "And hell yes, that's how I see it. Amber is a Marshal. She's human, not a damned animal or an animal's whelp."
Jonas tensed. Rachel felt the dangerous tension that slowly tightened his body.
"Do something with your client, John," he ordered the attorney. "Before I do."
Whether it was the sight of the incisors flashing at the sides of Jonas's mouth or the look of murderous fury in his gaze, Devon subsided with a childish pout and glared at Rachel once again.
"This changes things, Mr. Edgewood." The mayor lifted his head from the document before glancing at the Child Protective Services agent. "Ms. Blanchard? Do you see anything I don't?"
"I agree with your assessment," the kindly middle-aged child services representative stated as she too closed her file. "The child can't be taken from Sanctuary."